Secondary power system

ABSTRACT

A secondary power system is configured to connect to a motor vehicle having a powertrain comprising an engine and a first alternator. The secondary power system includes a second alternator connected to the engine, one or more electro-chemical storage devices coupled to the second alternator and configured to be charged by the alternator, and one or more inverter chargers. The inverter chargers may operate in a first mode to provide AC power to loads on the vehicle or in a second mode to receive alternative power and charge the storage devices. In an embodiment, the secondary power system includes multiple storage devices each comprising at least one electro-chemical storage pack and a logic. The storage devices are interconnected by a junction box. The logics within each storage device may selectively disrupt power flow from the junction box upon detection of an error condition.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/237,919 filed on Aug. 16, 2016 and entitled “SECONDARY POWER SYSTEM”which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.62/260,865 filed Nov. 30, 2015 and entitled “SECONDARY POWER SYSTEM,”both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to power systems for vehicles,such as large commercial and recreational vehicles and vessels wherelarge amounts of electrical energy are required to operate auxiliarypower systems.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, designs for large vehicles have advanced and becomemore sophisticated and complex. Land vehicles such as recreationalvehicles (RVs) and busses have grown in size, complexity, and the numberof features that they offer. Likewise, water vehicles, such as yachtsand other boating vehicles, have also evolved to provide larger livingspaces, more technology, and improved heating, air conditioning,refrigeration, lighting, and entertainment options for users.

While these features improve the comfort and functionality of thevehicles for users, they also come at a cost, specifically with respectto power consumption. Traditionally, recreational vehicles have strivedto provide users with the same luxuries as a stationary home, but mostauxiliary power solutions suffer from numerous limitations. For example,the power systems for these type of vehicles have used external enginepowered generators, apart from the main drive engine, to supply theelectrical energy require to operate the devices needed by the operator.The generator engines range in size of 2 kilowatts to 50+ kilowatts andthey consume considerable space, add large amounts of weight to thevehicles and create considerable amounts of emissions. Furthercomplicating the addition of generators, EPA Generation IV diesel rulesare currently being applied to use of generators, which further drivesup the cost, complexity, and size of generators and increasesreliability issues. Relying on the main engine as a primary source ofpower, however, is not an effective solution due to its inefficiency inpowering the nominal loads and the common use of 12V as the primaryoperating voltage of engine systems. In other systems, batteries havebeen used as a secondary power source. However, the weight, size, andlife expectancy of traditional batteries prevent them from being thecore auxiliary power components for vehicles.

For many years, the standard operating voltage for most vehicles hasbeen 12 volts DC, which is also the default or standard for mostplatforms globally. Batteries, computers, starter motor, lighting, andall of loads have been developed for mobile platforms. The limitation of12 volts DC, however, is based in physics defined as Ohm's law andelectrical work.

Ohms law:V=I*R

Where V=volts, I=Amps, and R=Resistance. Electrical work is defined as:

W=V*A

Where W=Watts, V=Volts, and A=Amps.

To power a device of any type it requires work to be done, in this caseelectrical work or watts. For large tasks more work is required. Forexample assume a vessel requires 8,000 watts to operate all of itssystems. If you were to provide that power using 12 volts the amperage(or current) required to deliver that amount of work would 667 ampswhich is an extremely large number and is not practical due toelectrical losses and safety.

One solution to deal with the high current levels is to increase thevoltage. By increasing the voltage, the same amount of power could beprovided at a much lower amperage. However, higher voltages bringadditional regulations and requirements. Any voltage above 60 volts DCis classified as a high voltage application by the Federal EnergyRegulatory Commission (FERC) and the North American Electric ReliabilityCorporation (NERC). When working with voltages above 60 volts DC thereare multiple regulations and safety consideration that add cost andcomplexity. These additional restrictions increase liability and requirespecially trained personal to maintain such systems. In mostapplications the mobile transportation systems described above aremaintained by the owners or work crew that operate the vehicle for thetasks it was designed for and not necessary trained for high voltagework. Therefore it is advantage to the owners and operators of thevehicles to have electrical systems that are safe for them to maintainat lower voltages.

These larger power high voltage systems are often integrated into theoriginal vehicle platform. When integrated into the vehicle architecturethe computer system, controls, software, and mechanical items arerigidly integrated limiting the options that can be done to the vehicleby the Recreation Vehicle Manufacturer or the Commercial Vehiclemanufacturer. The commercial and recreation vehicle manufacturers'traditionally design their vehicles around a mass produced platformeither an engine or a complete drivetrain from a larger volume equipmentmanufacturer. They then construct the specialized vehicle components andaccessories around the base platform. Due to the complexity andliability of the high voltage integrated solutions the up fittingmanufacturer cannot utilize or adapt these integrated system into theirplatforms without significant research and expense.

Another approach for powering auxiliary systems has been to use AC(alternating Current) generators which operate at the same voltages andwave forms as most home systems. In North America the standard is 120Vat 60 Hertz. Using a generator allows the manufacturer and operators touse commonly available appliances that run on 120 V AC and tools whichreduces complexity and cost. The limitations on these types ofgenerators is the regulation quality of the wave form. As shown in FIG.1A, the power delivered to our homes are well regulated 60 hertz cycles.Generators, however, do not have the same capabilities as large powerfacilities are susceptible to variation which causes incomplete andoften damaging wave forms to appliances and electronics, as shown inFIG. 1B.

While many small volume manufacturers desire to develop auxiliary powersystems and add on hybridization systems that are uniquely customized totheir vehicle or system, the cost and complexity of developing suchsystems makes them unattainable. A cost competitive, scalable, andcustomizable third party hybrid solution that easily integrates withexisting power solutions would solve this need.

Accordingly, an improved secondary power system that is scalable,customizable, and integratable with existing power solutions is neededin the industry.

SUMMARY

A secondary power system is generally presented. The secondary powersystem is configured to connect to a motor vehicle having a powertraincomprising an engine and a first alternator. The secondary power systemincludes a second alternator, separate from the first alternator,interconnected to a moving or rotational portion of the engine to drivethe second alternator. One or more electro-chemical storage devices arecoupled to the second alternator and configured to be charged by thealternator when it is driven by the engine.

One or more inverter/chargers are connected to the one or moreelectro-chemical storage devices and switchable between a first mode anda second mode. In a first mode, the one or more inverter/chargers areconfigured to receive DC power from the one or more electro-chemicalstorage devices and convert the DC power to AC power. In a second mode,the one or more inverter/chargers are configured to receive AC powerfrom an alternative power source and provide a DC power output to chargethe one or more electro-chemical storage devices.

In an embodiment, the secondary power system includes a first storagedevice comprising at least one electro-chemical storage pack and a logicand a second storage device comprising at least one electro-chemicalstorage pack and a logic. The first storage device logic is configuredto monitor the first storage device and other components within thesecondary power system for an error condition. The second storage devicelogic is configured to monitor the second storage device and othercomponents within the secondary power system for an error condition. Thesecondary power system further includes a junction box including aninput power bus configured to transmit power to and from the first andsecond storage devices, an output power bus configured to transmit powerto and from one or more inverter/chargers, and a junction box controlrelay configured to relay power between the input power bus and theoutput power bus. The junction box control relay is configured to breakthe power connection between the input power bus and the output powerbus when an error condition is detected by either the first storagedevice logic or the second storage device logic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The operation of the invention may be better understood by reference tothe detailed description taken in connection with the followingillustrations, wherein:

FIG. 1A illustrates a standard or ideal AC waveform;

FIG. 1B illustrates a harsh wave form from a gas a diesel generator; and

FIG. 2 illustrates a system diagram for the primary and secondary powersystems of a vehicle.

FIG. 3 illustrates a system diagram for a secondary power system havinga balancing circuit.

FIG. 4 illustrates a system diagram for a secondary power system havinga balancing and monitoring circuit.

FIG. 5 illustrates a system diagram of a secondary power system having aplurality of storage devices connected to a junction box.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilizedand structural and functional changes may be made without departing fromthe respective scope of the invention. Moreover, features of the variousembodiments may be combined or altered without departing from the scopeof the invention. As such, the following description is presented by wayof illustration only and should not limit in any way the variousalternatives and modifications that may be made to the illustratedembodiments and still be within the spirit and scope of the invention.

A power generation system 10 is generally presented. The powergeneration system 10 may be an auxiliary or secondary power systemconfigured to provide power to devices and components on a vehicle orwithin a system, such as on a recreational vehicle (“RV”), bus, boat, orthe like. The power generation system 10 may operate in conjunction withor to supplement a primary power system 12 on a vehicle.

The power generation system 10 may provide a plug and play auxiliarypower solution for gas engine powered vehicles. The power generationsystem 10 may couple to a an existing power system, such as a gaspowered engine, at a single point and be sufficient to provide power forall auxiliary systems on the vehicle. The power generation system 10 mayspecifically be designed to handle all types of loads that are typicalon large specialized vehicles.

FIG. 2 illustrates a power generation system 10 in communication with aprimary power system 12 of a vehicle. The primary power system 12 may beconnected to or comprise a vehicle engine. 14. The vehicle engine 14 maybe any appropriate type and size of engine, such as a gas or dieselengine, or the like. The engine 14 may drive the powertrain systems ofthe vehicle, such as the wheels of a land vehicle or the propeller of awatercraft.

As with many automotive vehicles, the engine 14 may be configured todrive the primary electric power system 12 of the vehicle, which maythen provide power to the devices on board the vehicle. For example, theengine 14 may be mechanically coupled to an alternator 18, such as atwelve (12) volt alternator. The engine 14 may drive a belt that spinsthe alternator 18 to generate electrical current. The alternator 18 maypower a battery 20, such as a twelve (12) volt battery. The battery maythen provide electric power to electrical loads 22 onboard the vehicle.It will be appreciated that the primary electric power system 12 mayinclude additional components, such as a charge regulator 24 to limitthe rate at which the battery 20 is charged or drained.

The power provided by the primary electrical power system 12 may beinsufficient to drive all of the components on the vehicle.Specifically, when the vehicle is not moving and the engine is notrunning, the battery 20 may lack sufficient power to drive the onboardsystems. Further, some vehicles may include 120 volt AC loads that maybe difficult to power with the 12 volt battery, even with powerinverters. In such cases, a secondary power system may be needed toprovide additional on board power.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the vehicle may include a secondary powersystem 10 coupled directly to the vehicle engine 14. The secondary powersystem 10 may be configured to supply power above and beyond the primarypower system 12 to meet the vehicle's power requirements. As describedherein, the secondary power system 10 may include various components toabsorb and distribute energy at a rate needed by the vehicle. Thesecondary power system 10 may be scalable or stackable to allowcustomization to meet a given vehicle's power needs.

The secondary power system 10 may operate at a primary voltage thatreduces current draw as compared to traditional primary vehicle powersystems, while still falling outside of high-voltage guidelines andrequirements. For example, the secondary power system 10 may operate ata primary voltage greater than 12 volts and lower than 60 volts, such as48 volts. By operating above the 12 volt level, the secondary powersystem 10 realizes the benefit of generating higher power with reducedcurrent draw as compared to 12 volt systems. At the same time, bykeeping the primary voltage below 60 volts, it allows the secondarypower system 10 to avoid high voltage regulations. It will beappreciated, however, that the secondary power system 10 may operate onany appropriate primary voltage.

The secondary power system 10 may include an alternator 32. Thealternator 32 may be distinct and separate from the primary vehiclealternator 18. The alternator 32 may generate electric power at theprimary voltage of the secondary power system 10, such as 48 volts. Asshown in FIG. 2, the alternator 32 may be directly connected to theengine 14 at a single point, such as coupled to a pulley on the engineby a coupling belt 34. The belt 34 may allow the engine to drive thealternator 34 and create the desired voltage. In an embodiment, thesecondary power system 10 includes no other connection points or directpower exchange or flow or control interaction between the primary powersystem 12 and the secondary power system 10, other than the couplingbelt 34 connected to the engine 14 and configured to drive thealternator 32. This arrangement provides a unique benefit of allowingthe secondary power system 10 to be easily connected and disconnectedfrom the vehicle at a single physical connection point. Further, itallows the system to be largely isolated, while still driven or charged,if needed, by the vehicle's primary powertrain.

The alternator 32 may be connected to and configured to charge one ormore electro-chemical storage devices 36. The storage device 36 may beany appropriate type of electro-chemical storage devices, such as 48volt lithium-ion storage devices. The storage devices 36 may be chargedby the alternator while the vehicle engine 14 is running, as describedin further detail below. In an embodiment comprising more than onestorage device 36 the storage devices 36 may be connected in parallel,as shown in FIG. 2, or in any other appropriate configuration.

One or more inverter/chargers 38 may be connected to the storage devices36. Although two inverter/chargers 38 are shown in FIG. 2, it will beappreciated that the secondary power system 10 may include any number ofinverter/chargers 38, as needed to meet the system requirements. Theinverter/chargers 38 may be connected in parallel to theelectro-chemical storage devices 36, as shown in FIG. 2.

The inverter/chargers 38 may function in two different capacities,depending on the state of the system 10, power connections, power level,charge level, or other factors, as described in further detail below.Specifically, the inverter/chargers 38 may operate as power invertersand also as power chargers. In a first mode, the inverter/chargers 38may operate as power inverters to convert the 48 volt DC signal into ACpower, capable of powering any AC loads 40 onboard the vehicle. The ACloads 40 may include power outlets to power standard plug in devices,entertainment systems, heating and cooling systems, lighting, or anyother primary or secondary devices or systems on the vehicle. Theinverters 38 may convert the DC power to AC power and regulate thevoltage to the appropriate level, such as 120 volts, to provide theappropriate power for the AC loads 40.

The inverter/chargers 38 may further operate in a second mode to chargethe storage devices 36. Specifically, in some situations, alternativesecondary power sources may be available to connect to the vehicle. Suchsecondary power sources may include a generator 42, such as a gas ordiesel powered generator, or in some cases shore power 44. Shore powermay include any type of docking or shore power that may be connected toa boat in a marina, or an RV or bus at a park, rest stop, or otherlocation. The secondary power sources may provide sufficient power topower all of the AC loads 40 directly while connected to the vehicle.Further, while the vehicle is connected to a secondary power source, theinverter/chargers 38 may function to charge the storage devices 36 byproviding power back to them. The chargers 38 may regulate the voltageand power signal from the secondary sources to provide the appropriateDC signal to charge the storage devices 36.

The secondary power system 10 may include a controller 46 to monitor thesystem and direct operation of the components and the flow of powerbetween the components. When the vehicle is in use and the engine 14 isrunning, the 48 volt alternator 32 may charge the electro-chemicalstorage devices 36, which may provide power to the inverter/chargers 38.The controller 46 may direct or enable the inverter/chargers 38 tofunction as inverters and convert the 48 volt DC signal to an AC powersignal, such as 120 volt AC signal, used to power the AC loads 40. Whenthe engine 14 is cut off, the electro-chemical storage devices 36 maycontinue to power the AC loads 40 through the inverter/chargers 38. Thecontroller 46 may monitor the charge level of the storage devices 36 todetermine when additional power from an on board generator 42 may berequired to supplement or replace the power from the storage devices 36.When the charge level of the storage devices 36 gets too low, thecontroller 46 may direct the inverter/chargers 38 to function aschargers to the storage devices 36 with power received from thegenerator 42. Likewise, when the vehicle is plugged into shore power,the controller may direct the inverter/chargers 38 to charge the storagedevices 36 while also providing the appropriate power signal to the ACloads 40.

In an embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the secondary powersystem 10 may include a balancing circuit integrated with the variousstorage devices 36. The balancing circuit may serve to maximize thelongevity and durability of the storage devices 36 and to protectagainst unwanted current flow between the storage devices 36 and damageto the storage devices 36. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the balancingcircuit may be passive, including one or more resistors 50. The circuitmay be configured to draw energy, as heat, from storage devices 36 thathave a greater charge than other storage devices 36 within the system.By drawing out energy from storage devices 36 with more energy thanother storage devices 36, the balancing circuit will level the energybetween each storage device and ensure that each device is drainedequally and consistently supplies the desired voltage.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the storage devices 36 may be connected in astar configuration, all connecting back to a single node 52. Theresistors 50 may be positioned between the node 52 and either thepositive or negative lead of each storage device 36. The configurationand placement of resistors 50 may serve to balance the voltage output ofeach storage device 36. Specifically, the resistors 50 may be equal insize to regulate and equalize the current flow from each storage device36 and prevent current flow between storage devices 36. The resistors 50may be located internal or external to each storage device 36.

In an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the secondary power system 10may include an imbalance monitoring circuit to check for an imbalancedcondition. The imbalance monitoring circuit may include a sensor 54,such as a voltage sensor, located at each resistor 50. The sensor 54 maymonitor the voltage across each resistor 50. The imbalance monitoringcircuit may compare the voltages to determine if there is an imbalancedcondition. An imbalanced condition may occur when the difference involtage across any two resistors is greater than a predeterminedthreshold.

Each sensor 54 may be tied as an input back to the controller 46 toallow the controller 46 to monitor the storage devices 36 for animbalanced condition. The controller 46 may also control a relay orcontact 56 positioned in line with the main positive or negative leadfor the storage device 36. Opening the relay 56 disrupts the currentflow from the storage device 36 and prevents damage to the storagedevices 36 or other system components. The controller 46 may monitor thesensors 54 for an imbalanced condition and open the relay 56 when animbalanced condition is detected.

In an embodiment, the storage devices 36 may be configured and designedto be stackable, scalable, and modular in order to provide custom powersolutions for any vehicle. As shown in FIG. 5, the storage devices 36may each comprise a unitary body with a plurality of componentscontained within. As opposed to other battery designs that are simplepassive devices, the storage devices 36 may include an internal logic60, such as a controller 46 and/or other devices, integrated within eachunit. The controller 46 may monitor power conditions within the storagedevice 36 and conditions within the secondary power system 10 as awhole, as described in further detail below, to allow multiple storagedevices to be coupled or stacked and provide a customized power solutionwithout risking damage to the storage devices 36 or system 10.

The storage device 36 may comprise a case 62 to enclose the internalcomponents of the device. The case may house the components of thestorage device, as described below, to allow multiple units to be easilyadded or removed from the system 10.

Each storage device 36 may include one or more electro-chemical storagepacks 64. The electro-chemical storage packs 64 may be lithium ion packsor any appropriate type of battery or power storage pack. The storagepacks 64 may generate the desired voltage, such as a DC voltage between12 and 60 volts.

The logic 60 may include various components, including a controller 46,relays, and other devices to implement the desired control. The logic 60may communicate with both components within its respective case 62 aswell as other components of the system 10. For example, the logic 60 mayreceive internal input signals 66 from within the storage device tomonitor the power drain, charge capacity, and other conditions of thestorage device 36. The logic 60 may further receive external inputsignals 68 from components within the system 10. For example, the logic60 may receive input signals from the inverter/chargers 38 to monitorwhether the inverter charters are receiving power from an alternativesource, monitor the quality of power received at the inverter/chargers38, as well as other conditions within the inverter/chargers 38.

The logic 60 may further include output signals 70 to components of thesecondary power system 10. For example, the logic 60 may transmit outputsignals 70 to the inverter/chargers to enable or disable them fromcharging the storage devices 36 or drawing power from the storagedevices.

In an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the secondary power system 10may include two or more storage devices 36. When combining multiplebatteries or power storage devices of any kind in parallel, however,there are inherent risks to both the storage devices and the system as awhole. For example, if one storage device 36 drains at a different ratethan other storage devices 36, then there is a risk of creating currentflow between the devices and damaging them. Accordingly, the secondarypower system 10 must monitor for these type of error conditions and takepreventative measures when such conditions are detected.

As shown in FIG. 5, the secondary power system 10 may include a junctionbox 72. The junction box 72 may receive power from the first and secondstorage devices 36 and selectively allow power to flow between thestorage devices 36 and the inverter/chargers 38.

The junction box 72 may include an input power rail 74 and an outputpower rail 76. The input power rail 74 may receive power from thestorage devices 36 and the output power rail 78 may connect to theinverter/chargers 38. A controllable logic may be positioned between theinput and output power rails 74, 76 to selectively disable power flowbetween the storage devices 36 and the inverter/chargers 38 upondetection of an appropriate error condition. For example, the junctionbox 72 may include a junction box relay 78. The junction box relay maybe configured to relay power between the input and output power rails74, 76. The junction box relay 72 may be controlled by the logic 60 fromeach of storage devices 36. For example, each logic 60 may provide anenable signal 80 to the junction box relay 78. When the enable signalfrom any logic 60 is removed, the junction box relay 72 may open andprevent power from flowing between the input and output power rails 74,76.

In an embodiment, the junction box 72 may include one or more votingrelays 82. The number of voting relays 82 may correspond to the numberof storage devices 36. Specifically, the logic 60 from each storagedevice 36 may control a voting relay 82 within the junction box 72. Eachvoting relay 82 supplies an enable or voting signal to the junction boxrelay 72. When any one of the voting relays 82 removes its enablesignal, the junction box relay 72 will open and disrupt the flow ofpower between the input and output power rails 74, 76.

As discussed herein, an error condition may be any type of errordetected by the logic in the status of the storage device 36 or othercomponents of the system 10. This may include, but not be limited to,unbalanced draining between storage devices 36, fully charged or overcharged conditions of the storage devices 36, unqualified power at theinverter/chargers 38, or other error conditions. It will be appreciatedthat the logic 60 may utilize other means of responding to the errorcondition other than cutting the junction box relay 72 to disrupt thepower flow between the input and output power rails 74, 76. For example,if unqualified power is detected at an inverter/charger 38, the logic 60may send an output signal 70 to the inverter/charger 38 to perform asoft shutdown, and may subsequently shut down other components of thesystem 10. This type of response may be preferred over a harsh powerdisconnect.

The secondary power system 10 may be connected to a motor vehiclepowertrain 12 to provide hybridization or additional power function andcapability. The secondary power system 10 may be added to an existingmotor vehicle 12 as an after-market addition, such as connecting to theexisting powertrain of a vehicle. As described above, the secondarypower system 10 may be connected at a single point mechanicalconnection, such as between the alternator 32 and the engine 14. Thesecondary power system 10 may be scalable to meet the power needs of thevehicle, such as by adding or removing storage devices 36 to customizethe power capabilities to those of the vehicle.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been illustratedin the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing detaileddescription, it is to be understood that the present invention is not tobe limited to just the embodiments disclosed, but that the inventiondescribed herein is capable of numerous rearrangements, modificationsand substitutions without departing from the scope of the claimshereafter. The claims as follows are intended to include allmodifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope ofthe claims or the equivalent thereof

Having thus described the invention, we claim:
 1. A secondary powersystem for providing auxiliary power to a motor vehicle having apowertrain comprising an engine and a first alternator, the secondarypower system comprising: a second alternator, separate from the firstalternator, interconnected to a moving or rotational portion of theengine to drive the second alternator; one or more electro-chemicalstorage devices coupled to the second alternator and configured to becharged by the alternator when it is driven by the engine; one or moreinverter/chargers connected to the one or more electro-chemical storagedevices, wherein the one or more inverter/chargers are switchablebetween a first mode and a second mode; wherein, when in first mode, theone or more inverter/chargers are configured to receive DC power fromthe one or more electro-chemical storage devices and convert the DCpower to AC power; and wherein, when in second mode, the one or moreinverter/chargers are configured to receive AC power from an alternativepower source and provide a DC power output to charge the one or moreelectro-chemical storage devices.
 2. The secondary power system of claim1, wherein the second alternator operates at a higher voltage than thefirst alternator operating voltage.
 3. The secondary power system ofclaim 1, wherein the second alternator operates at a voltage greaterthan 12 volts and less than 60 volts.
 4. The secondary power system ofclaim 1, wherein the one or more electro-chemical storage devicescomprise one or more lithium ion packs.
 5. The secondary power system ofclaim 1, wherein the alternative power source is a generator or shorepower source.
 6. The secondary power system of claim 1, further whereinthe inverter/chargers are configured to provide AC power to AC loads onthe vehicle.
 7. The secondary power system of claim 1, wherein the oneor more electro-chemical storage devices each include a controllerconfigured to monitor conditions on board the electro-chemical storagedevice and within the secondary power system.
 8. The secondary powersystem of claim 1, wherein the only point of mechanical and electricalcontact between the motor vehicle powertrain and the secondary powersystem is the interconnection between the engine and the secondalternator.
 9. The secondary power system of claim 1, wherein the secondalternator is connected to a rotational wheel on the engine by a belt.10. A secondary power system for providing auxiliary power to a motorvehicle having a powertrain comprising an engine and a first alternator,the secondary power system comprising: a second alternator, separatefrom the first alternator, interconnected to a moving or rotationalportion of the engine to drive the second alternator; a first storagedevice comprising at least one electro-chemical storage pack and alogic, wherein the first storage device logic is configured to monitorthe first storage device and other components within the secondary powersystem for an error condition; a second storage device comprising atleast one electro-chemical storage pack and a logic, wherein the secondstorage device logic is configured to monitor the second storage deviceand other components within the secondary power system for an errorcondition; a junction box comprising: an input power bus configured totransmit power to and from the first and second storage devices; anoutput power bus configured to transmit power to and from one or moreinverter/chargers; a junction box control relay configured to relaypower between the input power bus and the output power bus; wherein thejunction box control relay is configured to break the power connectionbetween the input power bus and the output power bus when an errorcondition is detected by either the first storage device logic or thesecond storage device logic.
 11. The secondary power system of claim 10further comprising a first voting relay configured to receive a controlsignal from the first storage device logic and a second voting relayconfigured to receive a control signal from the second storage devicelogic.
 12. The secondary power system of claim 10, wherein the first andsecond voting relays are configured to provide an enable signal to thejunction box control relay, and further wherein, the junction boxcontrol relay is configured to break the power connection between theinput power bus and the output power bus when the enable signal from thefirst or second voting relay is removed.
 13. The secondary power systemof claim 10, wherein the error condition includes detection ofunqualified power at an inverter/charger.
 14. The secondary power systemof claim 10, wherein the error condition includes an unequal dischargebetween the first storage device and the second storage device.
 15. Thesecondary power system of claim 10, wherein the at least oneelectro-chemical storage pack and a logic of the first storage device isentirely contained within a first case and the at least oneelectro-chemical storage pack and a logic of the second storage deviceis entirely contained within a second case.
 16. The secondary powersystem of claim 10, wherein the second alternator operates at a highervoltage than the first alternator operating voltage.
 17. The secondarypower system of claim 10, wherein the second alternator operates at avoltage greater than 12 volts and less than 60 volts.
 18. The secondarypower system of claim 10, wherein the one or more electro-chemicalstorage devices comprise one or more lithium ion packs.
 19. Thesecondary power system of claim 10, further comprising one or moreinverter/chargers configured to provide AC power to AC loads on thevehicle.
 20. The secondary power system of claim 10, wherein the onlypoint of mechanical and electrical contact between the motor vehiclepowertrain and the secondary power system is the interconnection betweenthe engine and the second alternator.